Saturday Open Thread

Carter Burwell is better known as the “go to” composer of Coen Brothers soundtracks (except for O Brother), but his non-Coen output is often great as well. The further out from In Bruges I get the more I like it. I’ve seen it 3 times or so and I like it the more I see it — the soundtrack as well is often in my rotation — especially if I’m studying. If you hear echoes of Twilight‘s soundtrack — well Burwell did the first movie as well — and it’s also a great soundtrack.

Well, I went to Munich to the beerhall for the putsch. There were two people in there. Obama and Hitler. They were arguing over who’s book made them look like the bigger nutjob, “Dreams From My Father” by Obama or “Mein Kampf” by Hitler. I got sick and left.

I found it interesting that his father limited him. Instead of encouraging his son to swim, he told his son that only wealthy white clubs swim competitively. Maybe that was true; but, someone had to be the one to break the race barrier. Why not him?

Tomorrow is “earth day.” Since it falls on Palm Sunday, when Christians celebrate the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, and worship Him, I find it ironic that all the gaia woshippers will be doing the exact opposite. My suggestion is that while we are all woshipping the one true Savior tomorrow, that out of deference for those enamoured with the earth instead of Him who made it…leave your SUVs running out in the Church parking lot while you are inside!

My mistake…or rather the printer of my calendar may have been making a joke at the expense of the treehuggers. It says April 1, 2012. I just double checked and it’s actually on April 22 this year. Oh well…I shall fire up the 494 cu.in. gas engine on Mrs.-fritz Silverado tonight at 8:30 for earth hour.

I was in Pittsburgh on business and bored one night. I found a little art house theater showing a newly released film I hadn’t heard of, “In Bruges.” Glad I gave it a look. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I agree the leads do a good job, especially Brendan Gleeson.

Did I do a review of this at Nolte’s old site? I seem to remember a discussion on how the film depicts Americans.

I thought In Bruges was pretty funny. If only they could have toned down the America-bashing a bit. But hey, that’s the Europeans for you. And I did like the way Farrell’s Yank-bashing finally came back to bite him in the ass.

Any anti-American sentiment didn’t register with me, because it was expressed by characters and was part of their personality. I don’t want people to avoid this movie because it’s “America-bashing.” It isn’t.

It’s only true American bashing if the actors portraying Americans are not American and they do a bad accent (why do non-Amer actors do all Am accents as either the Bronx or Wisconsin?) and also chew gum with their mouth open.

I appreciate you trying to shake it up, goozer, but please don’t tell me no. You might think I’m not the one or the dangerous type, but gimme some slack, man. Take me now and let’s go, let the good times roll.

Hello Again, Eric. Now, while I Got A Lot On My Head, I have to tell you that I won’t be Running To You. I’m not a Cruiser, or All Mixed Up, so you’ll have to hit those Night Spots and work your Magic with someone else.

What I’m loving about Netflix streaming, is all the Poverty Row B movies, the Charlie Chans, Karloff’s Mr. Wongs, Mr. Moto’s Last Warning, and all those B noirs. Just watched a worthwile mystery/thriller/comedy called, The Mystery of the 13th Guest. It’s an hour that won’t be missed, which is what I love about those hour-long features.

Had this response from a Facebook comment I made on how we depend on the middle-east and OPEC for oil, thus their setting the price per barrel of oil that inflates our gas prices, based on their cutting supplies to our demand. Arab countries pay under a buck per gallon and Venezuela pays like 9 cents a gallon in US dollars.

“The middle east isn’t even in the top two anymore. We buy more from the Canadian tar sand fields and the Central and South American countries than Saudi Arabia and their friends. And they don’t control the prices; the refineries control capacity to refine and wall street controls speculation. When crude goes up on wall street it’s because they are speculating on war and distribution channels, most of which no longer impact us as much as they do China and developing nations. Oil companies acquire most of their next generation technology through acquisition and minus the subsidies, they still have enough cash to keep that up….and by keep that up I mean bury it.”

Does OPEC still in this day and age, or Arab countries, influence the global price of international prices of oil? No matter where we buy it from? I know from within the US, we probably export oil at competitive prices, but those were private reserves who were tied to international contracts decades ago. If we were to drill in Anwar today and build more refineries, would we pay less for gas in the not-so-long-run?